The acclamation of Premier Christy Clark and her government occurred again last night.
I had no doubts that this would be the case, if for no other reason than the electorate is truly exhausted from world events, while simultaneously fearful of changing horses midstream with the economy still so fragile. And now that an entire election cycle has intervened between my own candidacy and the present government, I believe I can write about my involvement more candidly.
Exactly four years ago, I was coming to the very end of my last semester at university, and just as exams were beginning, a friend, who was working for the B.C. Conservative Party at its Langley headquarters, texted me asking if I would stand for election in my hometown of Prince George. I replied "yes" immediately, and so began my political pilgrimage back to my old stomping grounds.
It quickly became apparent that I would be facing Shirley Bond, whom by that time had held almost every major portfolio and, to date, has gone on to hold a few more significant ones yet. This situation presented both difficulties and advantages in political terms. Obviously, I couldn't match my opponent's funding or following. But her and the government's legacy presented a sizeable target and so I simply aimed broadside upon broadside at the well known missteps of both.
While I've long since apologized for my more colourful language, it would be disingenuous to retract a single iota from the underlying substance of my critique: the B.C. Liberal Party is often lacking in basic ethical conduct and many of its ministers' decisions do not in fact put voters first; yes, we all know that barons and oligarchs will always rule this province - but the current deal has gotten quite sour.
I pressed this thesis home again and again with particular reference to my own experience of our poor economic growth and my familial experience with the lack of funding in the public-school system as well as healthcare. I had a plethora of compelling anecdotes to draw from thanks to my paternal family's roots that went back to a one-room school house in Reid Lake, my maternal line's Depression-era lifestyle and my parents' experience as veteran clinicians throughout Northern Health.
In the end, I had a three-fold case to make with the electorate.
First, we needed more autonomy from Victoria, whatever the cost of that autonomy might be.
Second, we needed more consultation between representatives (as I hoped to be) and their electorate through town halls or simply an open-door policy at the local office.
And third, that in the case of healthcare and education, funding needed to be redirected from redundant management cadres back to workers on the frontlines.
None of these ideas are profound - in fact they're quite obvious to everyone but the crowd we just sent back to Victoria who are still wearing no clothes. I played my role as the young idealist well, earning 10 per cent of my opponent's ballots while spending nothing by comparison and having just as little political capital to boot.
Since then I have never stood again for public office and I'm quite sure I never will. Electoral life was the best and worst of times, but ultimately, I don't believe that politics is my true calling.
I will conclude this reminiscence with a point I made at the "rock the vote" event the Saturday before E-day 2013.
To a diverse audience, I said that we had come through a history of struggle in the West on questions of God, kings, sovereignty and even people's rights to a world where different groups now compromised in the form of the vote. "On Tuesday, you will cast your ballot and choose a compromise - I hope you select one in good conscience" were my final words that evening.
Four years later, I cannot really improve on this last statement. As far as I can tell, we are no further ahead in real terms and the pressure on many people at the margins - and even in the middle - has grown enormous.
Of course, we didn't get here in a day, and there are no easy fixes. But as chances dwindle to change course gradually, our leaders will be tasked with making ever more dire decisions.
I suppose that's all there's left to ask ourselves in the end - can we defend our compromises?
